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Highland Park Shooting: SHOCKING videos show panicked paradegoers flee as soon as shots rang out

The parade started at 10 am but was halted within 10 minutes after gunshots were heard in the in Highland Park parade

Update: The death toll in the Highland Park shooting has risen to seven after another victim succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Six of the seven victims have been identified, including Steve Straus, 88; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacki Sondheim, 63; Nicholas Toledo Zaragoza, 78; and husband and wife Irina and Kevin McCarthy, 35 and 37. 

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Warning: The content in the article may be distressing, viewers discretion advised

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Monday’s Fourth of July parade was the first in Highland Park since the pandemic. However, it left six people killed and around 31 injured due to mass shootings at the parade ground. A video posted on TikTok by @leonarcos11 captured the moment when shots were fired at the parade.

A 40-second clip shared on TikTok, which was later removed from the social media platform, shows the parade abruptly halted after gunshots were heard. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the parade started at 10 am, but was halted within 10 minutes after gunshots were heard in the area. "Everybody disperse, please. It is not safe to be here," police reportedly told participants who reached the parade area to witness the celebrations.

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Another video posted by the news site's columnist Lynn Sweet also showed people screaming, and running for their life. While a klezmer band continued to play, unaware of the gunfire. She wrote, "My video.. I was at #Highland Park parade.. Terrified people fleeing July 4th parade when shooting started."

According to an NBC report, several gunshots could be heard, followed by a pause and another round of gunfire in separate social media videos. In some videos, more than 50 shots are heard. Many witnesses thought the gunshots were fireworks before realizing what was actually unfolding. Larry Bloom, who was at the parade during the mass shooting said, "You heard like a 'pop, pop, pop,' and I think everybody kinda thought maybe it was a display on one of the floats and then it just opened up. I was screaming and people were screaming. They were panicking and and they were just scattering and I, you know, we didn't know. You know, it was right on top of us."

A user posted 26-second footage capturing the nonstop gunfire. Another video, shot by @josefrivera2 on TikTok and shared by @tariqnasheed on Twitter, shows people running while the shooting continued.

Six killed, 31 injured

Injured individuals were taken to Highland Park Hospital, Lake Forest Hospital and Evanston Hospital after the tragic mass shooting, killing six people. The “vast majority” were treated for gunshot wounds, though some “sustained injuries as a result of the ensuing chaos at the parade,” according to NorthShore University Health Systems, which owns the Highland Park and Evanston hospitals.

Prime suspect in custody

Robert E Crimo III, the possible suspect, has been taken into custody near Lake Forest, Illinois, authorities said during a brief news conference on the night of July 4. They said, the 22-year-old, who was believed to be driving a 2010 silver Honda Fit with the Illinois license plates DM80653, was spotted by a North Chicago officer, who attempted a traffic stop. He was being taken to the Highland Park Police Department for questioning, but no charges had been filed as of 6.50 pm. Crimo has not been named as a suspect. As per reports, authorities said he is still a ‘person of interest’ while they investigate and connect him to the scene.

The FBI asked that anyone who had video of the shooting or possible information about the shooter call their toll-free tipline at (800) CALL-FBI.